Trick or Treat: Best Halloween Candy & Treats

Well friends, we’re almost at the end of October and you know what that means: It’s almost Thanksgiving! Oh, wait, I mean: Halloween is coming!

The only thing I like about Halloween is that it’s the anniversary of my first date with the hubster. 😀 The costumes, parties, and scary stuff is not my style, but I don’t mind setting out a bowl of candy for the trick or treaters. In previous years I’d buy bags of Dove chocolates because that’s one of my favorites and I wanted to the leftovers! This year I’m putting a bit more thought into the candy I buy, because it doesn’t feel right to talk about health and food quality on here, and then buy junky chocolate to hand out to kids.

I did some searching online and found a few cleaner brands that offer better options to hand out this Halloween, but before we get to that, let’s talk about non-food treats and the Teal Pumpkin Project.

Have you heard of the Teal Pumpkin Project? It’s an initiative to spread awareness of food allergies and provide non-food treats for kids who have severe allergies or other medical concerns that mean they can’t eat traditional halloween candies. I made some sparkly teal pumpkins to set out, and went to Five and Below (the dollar store is another great option) for some fun toys, bracelets, etc. to set out in a separate bowl for any kids who can’t have or don’t want candy.

It’s super easy to participate, just add your address to the Teal Pumpkin Map, and either print out the sign they provide on their site for free or have some fun with your own kiddos and paint a pumpkin teal. I heard Target has teal pumpkins this year, which is a perfect option if you don’t want to make you’re own. Also, you’re welcome for giving you an excuse to go to Target.

Ok, back to the candy. Below are my top three options for cleaner candy and a few options on where to buy them:

YumEarth Organics – various lollipops, candy worms, etc that are gluten free and vegan and they use natural colorants like turmeric and carrot juice, so there’s no food dyes either! I’ve found some cute Halloween packs on Thrive Market, and Amazon.

UnReal Candy Gems – This is like a less awful version of M&M’s. They’re fair-trade, organic, and once again use natural colorants instead of food dyes. I was able to find a box of 20 packets at WholeFoods, But I also found the same box a little bit cheaper on Amazon.

Wholesome Ghost & Skill Lollipops – I love this because you get 30 for 3.99 on Thrive Market! I also like that their ingredient list is so short: Organic Cane Sugar*, Organica Tapioca Syrup, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Color Added (Organic Fruit Juice), *Fair Trade Certified by Fair Trade USA 60% Fair Trade Certified™ ingredients. It’s pretty much just sugar on a stick, and that’s the best you can ask for when it comes to Halloween candy, right? It’s also available on Amazon, but they’r way cheaper on Thrive Market.